Silly commuting racing

shoulder_of_orion

This morning's commute was a torrential downpour and a headwind. Roadie scalps galore - at least two brand new Bianchi's and a yellow jersey. I spotted him in the distance on Embankment and it took a monumental effort to get past. When I did, I noticed it wasn't a "true" yellow jersey, but an Australian rugby top (one of the tight fitting ones). Made the scalp even better than passing a standard yellow jersey.

I have dispensed with all waterproofing and just get wet in my lycra. I think I do need to invest in some overshoes though...

benno68

boondog wrote:

1. he's not justified in sptting at her.
2. she's not right to try and use her car to hit his bike.

I agree with both points. I believe that the police consider spitting at someone as assault, the lady veering towards the cyclist at the least is wreckless driving I would say.

biondino

boondog wrote:

on the Uxbridge road this morning just before Sheperds Bush roundabout, and a saw a scene ahead.
MTB'er going slow, shouting at a woman in a small red car with her window down.
He then spat ather window, and she angled her car towards the curb to make him stop (he'd say that he tried to run her off the road, but they were hardly moving). A passenger shouted at her, so I left them to it....
I don't have the full story, but ...
1. he's not justified in sptting at her.
2. she's not right to try and use her car to hit his bike.

If someone spits at me I'm using whatever I have to hand to retaliate! And if she wasn't even trying to hit him, just block his way. What a prize c*ck.

il_principe

lost_in_thought wrote:

That's the way Roastie - let it all out by blasting past them. Especially for a lycra-ed roadie like that you know it hurts!

I've often wanted to say 'see, if you were faster you wouldn't need to RLJ' or similar to such people.

Just say it with speed LiT. I feel it's always implied...

benno68

Shoulder of Lamb wrote:

I think I do need to invest in some overshoes though...

I hate getting my feet wet on the bike. Google "Endura Neoprene Overshoe", they do the job for me and for around £20 you won't go far wrong.

boondog

it's not like she's going to sit there and think, hmm, he just spat at me, I really must be in the wrong, I apologise.
You'd have to have a lot of self control not to react to that.

p.s anyone know whats going on at the palace over the last 2 weeks ? lots of cars parked up and more traffic than usual.

Roastie

Is the rider of teh grey Trek I met on Millbank last night and rode with up to my turn off at Albert Bridge amongst us? Thanks again for the tow, nice to chat!

Roastie

Oh yes: The quick roadie with blue top on a Boardman this morning that I met on Nine Elms at a bit before 7:00, you read this? You totally messed up my recovery ride this AM. There I was, cosy in lightweight windproof and leg warmers and intending to ride slowly, but being an SCR addict, I couldn't resist chasing. T'was fun, arrived at Fenchurch a sweating mess, ta .

cjcp

Heh heh. Some good stories (not the spitting one though. That's poor form.)

For my part:

Monday evening - took a scooter heading up Bolan Death Crash Bridge. It wasn't going all out, and sounded a bit sick to be honest, but a scalp's a scalp. :twisted:

Last night, a chap on a Boardman had a pop at drafting on Millbank. He managed it for a bit and had the good sense not to try it again through DSC. :twisted:

This morning, made full use of the tailwind to whizz by two scooters on Millbank. The second one reclaimed his scalp about 100 yards later though, but didn't see the first one again. :twisted:

jonginge

Not much to report lately. Still got a cold, still feeling like I'm half as fit as I was in January but haven't been bothered to do much about it: I may have burned out

Still, fun and games this morning on embankment. Saw a bit of a train go by when I was cautiously filtering on Cheyne walk. Caught up along embankment and had to maintain station until the traffic cleared the line of parked cars. Opened it up a bit and gave 'the nod' as I went past to the lead guy on the condor fratello. Maintained ~29 along the flat dropping to 25s over Chelsea br. The lights were kind until Vauxhall Br, which turned to red a couple of seconds before I got there. Grrr.

Victoria embankment is sooo frustrating right now. Beyond the road works a chap tried to outdrag me away from some lights: not bad, but not today. However, he was on my 4:30 (not quite my six ) so I slowed to let him past before I pulled out to overtake another roadie. Fair play to the chap, though, he maintained 28s til blackfriars. He filtered better than me through the lights so had ~50yards. Cruised up to him just before the tunnel before despatching another nod. Slowly wound the cadence to 110, 120, 130 and kept it there until after the tunnel. Think he shot his bolt before the tunnel coz he was a few seconds back.

cjcp

I may have burned out

This bit, doesn't sit very comfortably with this bit...

Maintained ~29 along the flat dropping to 25s over Chelsea br.

Good job you're not feeling fit! :P

benno68

cjcp wrote:

I may have burned out

This bit, doesn't sit very comfortably with this bit...

Maintained ~29 along the flat dropping to 25s over Chelsea br.

Good job you're not feeling fit! :P

Sounds fine to me CJCP, JonGinge is talking in kmph...isn't he???

jonginge

Benno68 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

I may have burned out

This bit, doesn't sit very comfortably with this bit...

Maintained ~29 along the flat dropping to 25s over Chelsea br.

Good job you're not feeling fit! :P

Sounds fine to me CJCP, JonGinge is talking in kmph...isn't he???

*grumble, grumble* I may have teensy bit of a competitive nature but I could be wrong. Easier to go fast when being metaphorically pushed. Overall, though, it's a bit of a struggle.

Roastie

JonGinge wrote:

Easier to go fast when being metaphorically pushed.

SCRers' Syndrome

Clever Pun

there's been absolutly feck all recently for me...

of note, yesterday a roadie with baggies and toe clips chanced his arm and passed me then hit the wind and a pathetic hill (sleeping policeman) and practically stopped... pathetic

After a bit of a laugh I still felt the shame of being taking if only for 2 seconds

itboffin

Last night was not the predicted blood bath more of a repeated cold shower, I had to MTFU several times on the way to Waterloo for which I suffered all the way home avg 14 mph every soaking mile in pain.

Fortunately I have/had a well stocked beer fridge that helped me ease the pain.

This mornings punt in was more of the same slow, wet & painful :evil:

UndercoverElephant

My FCN may well have dropped four points just by the click of a mouse... :shock:

itboffin

Say it ain't so jon say it ain't so

MTFU drinking more beer is the cure, we haven't seen you at the Morpeth in ages infact..

This Friday people come rain or shine the Morpeth arms for beer then curry for the really cool, who's in?

Bassjunkieuk

WOAH! What a ride home :-) bit blowy but going in the right directions at the right times i.e towards me as I'm labouring alone and behind when I can make use of it!

And make use of it I did. I spotted a chap on drop bars up ahead as I was heading down one road, snaked across the main road and he was still there! I could feel the wind wasn't blowing towards me and this stretch of road normally allows me to stretch the legs a bit on the run towards the level crossing. He's sitting up and doing a good 25mph coasting along. I tuck and go around him carrying a few extra mph's :-D

We come to a stop at the level crossing and I fumble the clip in so he moves ahead again (nice Roberts tourer!) he was doing some good speed and once I came past again I think he jumped on my wheel as I could feel him behind. A bit of demon filtering and he's off my wheel but I have a new prey as up ahead another roadie has joined us at the mini roundabout. Line up behind the new roadie at the lights and spot he's a shaver! The chap from early RLJ's and heads off down Grand Drive, NAUGHTY MAN :-( As the lights go green the laydee-shaver and me part ways so no chance to claim his scalp.

All the other cyclist I spot from this point are utter numpties, from the tw4t on his phone on a rather busy road to the pavement ninja who decides to drop off the kerb in front off me it seemed to be the day for them!!

cjcp

Nothing much doing tonight. One Cervelo Alu Soloist (damn, that's a nice looking bike), but a bit slippy, so all a bit cautious.

jonginge

itboffin wrote:

Say it ain't so jon say it ain't so

MTFU drinking more beer is the cure, we haven't seen you at the Morpeth in ages infact..

This Friday people come rain or shine the Morpeth arms for beer then curry for the really cool, who's in?

Sorry, old chap, been a bit slack in the socialising. Work has got a bit grippy as a certain Mr Sherwen would say. In fact still at work now. mwah

cjcp

That's not good. Can't you work at home? That's what I'm doing (in between posting, of course).

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

That's not good. Can't you work at home? That's what I'm doing (in between posting, of course).

Yes, most of the time. But when things go tits up about 5 minutes before home time it's tricky. Grrr. And I'm the only one who can deal with it. The other guys are either on holiday or out. That's the breaks in a small company

Still, stage 11 highlights are now on itvplayer...

itboffin

Tough break Jon i know that pain, great stage tonight BTW

Ride home tonight was slowwwww 13mph avg

cjcp

itboffin wrote:

Tough break Jon i know that pain, great stage tonight BTW

Ride home tonight was slowwwww 13mph avg

13mph?! What are you doing? Pushing the bike?

itboffin

cjcp wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Tough break Jon i know that pain, great stage tonight BTW

Ride home tonight was slowwwww 13mph avg

13mph?! What are you doing? Pushing the bike?

Back off old man I'm keeping the miles up whilst not straining the leg and it's working, i'm hoping to set a good time on Sat. hoping.

cjcp

Hehe.

What size Dolan did you buy? 3?

cjcp

To the bloke on the white Trek, with earphones, blue top: please give me a bit more room when turning the corner off Parlt Square onto Embankment. Thanks very much. Oh, and don't run multiple red lights or cycle along the pavement either. It's not cool. Just in case you wondered why I gave you a "what the heck are you playing at?" look when I passed you through Blackfriars tunnel.

Greg T

I had a great ride in this morning.

I went home on impulse power last night and by some miracle kept my nose clean so was full of beans this morning.

My karma was well balanced I took the long term view on the guys who tried to drop me at the lights as I was spooling my gear up and did some Cavendish inspired sprinting to beat a couple of sets of lights - which paid off!

All in all a very good start to the day and looking forward the ride home.

There we go then - a happy note to start the day.

Greg T

I had a great ride in this morning.

I went home on impulse power last night and by some miracle kept my nose clean so was full of beans this morning.

My karma was well balanced I took the long term view on the guys who tried to drop me at the lights as I was spooling my gear up and did some Cavendish inspired sprinting to beat a couple of sets of lights - which paid off!

All in all a very good start to the day and looking forward the ride home.

There we go then - a happy note to start the day.